This week, we share the first episode of Public Trust, a podcast about PFAS in Wisconsin from Midwest Environmental Advocates and Wisconsin Sea Grant. Thanks to Bonnie and Richelle for sharing! Learn more at midwest advocates.org/podcast. More Under Our Feet soon, in the meantime, learn more at UOFpod.org.…

This episode we hear directly from people living with acute PFAS contamination in Peshtigo and Marinette, Wisconsin. We also hear how industrial contamination impacts the site of the Menominee Nation's origin: the mouth of the Menominee River in Marinette. Support Under Our Feet by subscribing to our Patreon page - there's a link on our website, uo…

In this bonus episode, originally only available for subscribers on Patreon, we hear how the scientists in the PFAS: Spreading Out episode see invisible molecules like PFAS and processes like groundwater flow. To get early access to bonus content like this and more, you can join our Patreon community for as little as $1 a month. There's a link at o…

Episode three of our series about PFAS forever chemicals. In this installment, Chris Zahasky, Maureen Muldoon, and Christy Remucal guide us through the hidden groundwater systems that let PFAS spread through the environment and into our drinking water. More information, and a link to support the show on Patreon, at UOFpod.org. Music by the Blue Dot…

We learn how PFAS forever chemicals escape from the places they're supposed to be, and start their journey to places they're not. We'll explore landfill history and design, and the story of open-ground training and testing with aqueous film-forming foams in Peshtigo, Wisconsin. Find more on our website: uofpod.org, and support the show on Patreon (…

This is a re-release of the first episode of Season 2! New full episodes start October 19th! The debut of Season 2 on PFAS "forever" chemicals and groundwater! This episode explores the history of PFAS development, their basic chemistry, and what they do once they get in our bodies - they're found in 98% of Americans blood! Learn more on our websit…

The debut of Season 2 on PFAS "forever" chemicals and groundwater! This episode explores the history of PFAS development, their basic chemistry, and what they do once they get in our bodies - they're found in 98% of Americans blood! Learn more on our website: www.uofpod.org. Music in this episode is by the Blue Dot Sessions (https://sessions.blue/)…

Get ready for Season 2 of Under Our Feet! Perhaps the way we are most intimately connected to the Earth system is through the water we drink. Turning on the tap is something many of us can take for granted, but groundwater's interaction with the environment has the potential to expose us to things we don't want to drink. This season we go deep into…

In this episode, Jeff Grignon takes us through stories from the Menominee Nation, showing how the rocks and geology we've learned about all season fit into the traditions of a group that has been living on Wisconsin's landscape since the beginning. For more from Jeff, check out this podcast from Edge Effects, and this essay cowritten with Robin Wal…

Under Our Feet is supported by listeners on Patreon (Patreon.com/RudyMolinek). With subscriptions of $15 a month or more, supporters get to choose a geology topic of their choice for a mini-episode! First up, Georgia Ringle's request for an episode on the geology of kitchen countertops. Featuring Nick Roberts, a structural geologist at Hamilton Col…

In this season 1 bonus episode, Rudy talks to Eric Booth (a scientist) and Caroline Gottschalk Druschke (a professor of English) about their boundary-busting collaboration on flooding in Wisconsin's Driftless area. For more, and to support the show on Patreon, check out our website at UOFpod.org. The music in this episode is the song Arizona Moon, …

The third bonus episode for season 1 takes us to one of Wisconsin's most beloved natural feature: Our lakes! UW-Madison limnologist Hilary Dugan takes us inside and around these freshwater inland bodies that shape the experience of the state. More info and links to support the show on Patreon at UOFpod.org. Music is the song Arizona Moon, by the Bl…

Originally published in Agate Magazine (agatemag.com), Rudy reads his essay "Of Icicles and Ice Sheets." Music is the song Arizona Moon, by the Blue Dot Sessions. Support the show by subscribing on Patreon: patreon.com/RudyMolinekBy Rudy Molinek

The first of Season 1's bonus episodes takes us to Wisconsin's shores of Lake Michigan, to learn about how storms and lake-level changes erode and move sediment. Chelsea Volpano takes us inside her research on beaches and bluffs, drones and remote controlled boats, and the computer models that put it all together. Support the show on Patreon at pat…

The final full episode of our first season delves into the unique "Driftless" area: the one part of Wisconsin that was never glaciated. Curt Meine and Eric Carson provide insights on the geology, history, and culture of the region. Support the show at patreon.com/RudyMolinek or find more info at uofpod.org. Music is the song Arizona Moon, by the Bl…

Episode 8 explores how ice shaped the landscape of Wisconsin, and how that landscape gives us clues about past and future climate. Featuring interviews with Luke Zoet and Libby Ives. More at uofpod.org. Support the show at patreon.com/RudyMolinekBy Rudy Molinek

Ever wondered why Wisconsin is the "Badger" state? Or why Bucky is the University of Wisconsin mascot? Well, the answer is in the rocks. We go deep into the history and geology of lead mining the southwest part of the state to find out! More at UOFpod.org. Follow us on Twitter @UOFpod. Support the show at patreon.com/RudyMolinek…

Episode 6 goes literally "Under Our Feet" to explore the caves of southwestern Wisconsin. Why are there caves here? And what secrets of Earth's past do these subterranean spaces hold? We hear from Jan Okeson (Cave of the Mounds) and Cameron Batchelor (University of Wisconsin Geosciences) about education and research that takes place underground. Mo…

This bonus episode brings you the full interview from Frank Bibeau, who was an important part of episode 5. If you haven't listened to that yet, go back and listen there first. Here, we talk about wild rice (manoomin), water, mining, pipelines, indigenous resistance, and much more. Visit HonorEarth.org for more information on his work. More on Unde…

This fifth episode breaks our chronologic streak, and deals with some breaking news: A proposed moratorium on new mining near the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota. What is the history and science behind this mining, and why are people worried about the risks? Plus, we hear from Frank Bibeau about wild rice and its unique place in Lake Superior…

Episode 4 takes us to the age of ancient life in Wisconsin - the Paleozoic era. We find out how the sedimentary rocks deposited over 300 million years ago shape the landscape of eastern Wisconsin. More at uofpod.org. Support the show at patreon.com/RudyMolinek. Music is the song Arizona Moon, by the Blue Dot Sessions.…

Episode 3 brings us to a billion years ago, when the North American continent tried to split in two. This rift failed, but left behind a legacy of scenic beauty, strange rocks, and vast quantities of copper. Featuring Jeremy Randolph-Flagg and Jim Miller. More at UOFpod.org. Support the show at Patreon.com/RudyMolinek Music is the song Arizona Moon…

In episode two of the geology of Wisconsin, we talk to Gordon Medaris and Esther Stewart about the geology of the Baraboo area (including Devil's Lake State Park). These rocks started their life about 1.6 billion years ago and sandy beaches on gentle shores, but today are known for their surprising sheer cliffs in central Wisconsin. How'd we get fr…

In this first episode, we talk to Marcia Bjornerud about the Penokean Orogeny - the first mountain-building event that helped put together what we now call Wisconsin. This is also the story of intense iron mining, booms and busts, and much more as we delve into the deep history of the Badger State. Music is the song Arizona Moon, by the Blue Dot Se…

Wisconsin's geologic history begins more than 2.8 billion years ago, and continues today. Join us as we explore through deep time and discover the ways geologic events and forces shape our everyday lives in the Badger State. Learn more about the show at www.uofpod.org. Music for this episode is the song Arizona Moon, by the Blue Dot Sessions (www.s…